What makes Japanese music different from American music? (specifically, rock)

[Hiroi Sekai]

Unfortunately, I do know what sampling is.

The problem is: I grew up listening to the old songs. When it becomes a sample in a hip-hop or modern rock song, I just end up disliking it.

I definitely should have worded that better, but the bottom line is: compare Japanese music to English music. How much sampling is done in both?

Anyways, sampling is something that I dislike in general; I will never do it when composing music. I didn't mean the music itself was "bad", but this is what happens:

- On our local radio (which is always played like everywhere), I hear a song that has a sample in it. When its done, the announcer makes a big deal of the song, saying that it's "very creative" and "completely original".

So I guess my disappointment lies with our radio station~

[Dilla]

Originally Posted by papermario13689

Unfortunately, I do know what sampling is.

The problem is: I grew up listening to the old songs. When it becomes a sample in a hip-hop or modern rock song, I just end up disliking it.

I definitely should have worded that better, but the bottom line is: compare Japanese music to English music. How much sampling is done in both?

Exactly, you grew listening to those old songs... I think you're assuming that Japanese hip hop or Japanese pop or Japanese r&b would sample western music (and some do, I know Nujabes did often) when they be more likely to sample other Japanese songs. The the older sounds of Japanese music is very different from the old sounds of American/English music, so naturally Japanese music of today is going to come off as more exotic. Most electronically made music, no matter the region, has a sample. A lot of them have multiple samples to the point where they can't be identified.

What I can say in tune with you is that many producers could do a much better job of it. Meaning, mix it better and make the sample less blatant.

[qwertyuiopz]

what city and which radio station?

[Hiroi Sekai]

Vernon, BC - Sun FM. 'Nuff said.

It's a really terrible radio station overall.

[Dilla]

Most radio stations are pretty terrible nowadays. If I get the money, I'll probably invest in Sirius or something.

[qwertyuiopz]

toronto always has the best stations

[Hiroi Sekai]

Ah yes, Toronto. I used to live very close to Toronto (in Guelph), and always enjoyed their radio stations. There was one (Q107 Classic Rock) that was fantastic.

I also have Sirius in my car, so that's quite nice as well. It's just at work, they play that really terrible Sun FM station DX

[Marcus H.]

What I like about Japanese music is its versatility.

Not all songs belonging to a certain JGenre (Japanese music counterpart of a certain music genre) have the same contents. They all vary in instruments used, what each song says is different and even the genre range of a certain group can differ. In the West, however, maybe because of the idea of packaging, artists tend to focus on a single genre and -- rarely -- move to another genre after a certain period.

[Trans-Fat]

/off topic'ish
If a new radio stationed which plays nothing but Japanese and Korean (maybe to include Chinese also) music opened in your general area, how successful do you think this radio station will last?

/ends off topic'ish

One thing I find different in my opinion is that most music here in America (particular rap) lacks variations, innovation, and meaning. Sure it may be about $ex, being the baddest, cars, money, drugs. But what else? Most songs do not have the elements to make me wanna "fall in love" with it. Some songs and artists I do like. Usher, Alicia Keys, T.I., and Eminem are part of the few artists I do like.

As some people already mentioned, a lot of the Japanese (rock) music are meshed together. I admit that sometimes I cannot tell if a song is rock, pop, or trance. I just group them all together as one lol. Listening to Kotoko now, I can't tell which genre is the correct genre.

[Varaxis]

Japanese Rock adds pop/metal/R&B/etc tastefully. They call that alternative Rock in America. I dislike standard rock, I grew up in the 90s living on alternative (Garbage, Smashing Pumpkins, TOOL, Bush, etc.)

My fav J-Rock band is High and Mighty Color (with Maki and not so much HAL-whatever). They have pop vocals and punk rap back-up vocals set to metal instrumentals.

I like Tommy heavenly6 for their Goth Rock/Pop style.

I really like some of the compositions, with great vocals, of Kalafina for whatever genre they are.

I don't understand hardly a thing they're singing, but the songs are just good. I can easily to "jam" to them.

[iPonbiki]

Japanese music is basically American music from the 80s as far as I'm concerned.

Anime music in general tends to use a lot of the verse, chorus, repeat structure from what I've noticed as well. Harmonies for the most part are simple in Japanese music (I even transcribed one song recently that used almost nothing but the tonic and dominant chords for its chord progression. Basically a lot of primary and secondary triads, a few 7ths here or there and maybe a borrowed chord or two. The songs tend to stay in the same key throughout the entire song as well with the exception of a few rarities.

Japanese mainstream music also doesn't tend to experiment that much and go outside the norm, thus it tends to evolve slowly. It is also a youth dominated market and high tenors with lots of falsetto notes are often present in male vocals. Female vocals for the most part, from what I've transcribed and listened to, often stay within the middle C to male high C range only occasionally traveling to the E above that (and hardly ever any higher). On that note Japanese (and Asia in general) is known for chewing up young talent and then abandoning them like yesterday's garbage. Seldom do you see a singer or group survive in the industry long term.

I wish I could speak for their lyrics, but I'm not familiar enough with their language to note any trends there.

The basic drums, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar (i.e. K-On!) is typical for a lot of anime music instrumentation as well. There are a few dance inspired synthesizer based groups though. R&B seems to be spreading at a rapid rate as well and a lot of non-animus artists seem to be gravitating towards that genre. The Oricon charts always seem to be cluttered with new R&B inspired groups every time I check.

Basically Japan is always one step behind America when it comes to music, and they really like to listen to and imitate all of our music.

[Iracundi]

If you listen to alternative rock in America, you'll find it very similar to j-pop/j-rock sometimes. I think that japanese music has such a catchy quality to it. And most of the time the lyrics remind me of poems in japanese form. That, and they talk about different things than girls and money.

You really should listen to some alternative and you'll see what I mean. Google 106.1 KRAB and you'll find the same quality that japanese music has. That's why I like both genres so much. <3

They do take a lot from rock, jazz, and sometimes country feels in alternative, as does j-rock.

[j0x]

Originally Posted by Iracundi

If you listen to alternative rock in America, you'll find it very similar to j-pop/j-rock sometimes. I think that japanese music has such a catchy quality to it. And most of the time the lyrics remind me of poems in japanese form. That, and they talk about different things than girls and money.

You really should listen to some alternative and you'll see what I mean. Google 106.1 KRAB and you'll find the same quality that japanese music has. That's why I like both genres so much. <3

They do take a lot from rock, jazz, and sometimes country feels in alternative, as does j-rock.

true that, most american songs i heard on radio are about hitting on girls and being proud about money

[Tri-ring]

One point can be attributed to difference to the ear which is the difference in phonetic structure of the Japanese language.
Japanese letters all includes vowel within it's letters so one letter requires at least one note to express it's sound.

The rule had been broken to some degree by Kuwata Keisuke when he announced "Katte ni Shiyagare" but the general rule still applies creating a certain limitation thus giving it a certain distinctive feel.
(From a music teacher at high school who I studied under X years ago.)

[Afternoon Tea]

Well when it comes to like J-Pop Rock I think it has something to do with the lyrics plus Jpop is diverse with alot of western influences



Okay this may be the worst comparison but still

Spoiler for okay:

[Tri-ring]

Here is another comparison.

The original performed by The Southern All Stars

Covered by Ray Charles

Another one I found sung in a cappella

[Aesthetic Shampoo]

I always thought that the j-pop/k-pop hype was due to the fact that people couldn't understand what the lyrics were saying; they were just sounds that sounded good, and that was why everyone seemed to enjoy it, despite not understanding.

[Tri-ring]

Well if you look at language as a form of music(instrument), with different grammatical structure, the syncopation and notes stressed will moderately change because stress patterns within a sentence will change even within the same given melody.
Take "Itoshi no Ellie for example, the note Kuwata, the original composer, stresses and the a cappella singer stresses are different because the though to the lyrics changes therefore the note that are stress changes. This becomes evident when grammatical structure are vastly different comparing Japanese to other western languages like English.
You'll also note that the US version sounds somewhat rushed even when singing the same line because Japanese uses an extra note (unconsciously) to sing the same phrase.(Ellie my love so sweet)

Although some what off topic, Kuwata is singing about his elder sister which was like a mother to him when he was toddler.(Fans sung it as a tribute as her coffin was taken out when she fell to cancer.)
There was also a classic manga that was serialized on Young Jump with the same title about a high schooler falling in love with a teacher in the same school.

[Afternoon Tea]

what I like about Japanese music, is the syllables. It really makes it different from English songs, and addition makes them really catchy.

[Puddingman]

what I like about Japanese music, is the syllables. It really makes it different from English songs, and addition makes them really catchy

I like this too. I wonder how the language affects melodic phrasing and things.

Otherwise, jpop uses similar pentatonic ideas and similar progressions as western music. Like the others said, there are more cross genre ideas happening.

I noticed too, at least as far as the subtitles tell me, japanese song lyrics seem somewhat schizophrenic or something, like they're chains of metaphors/images strung together.
I'm sure they have meanings, but the songs I've heard are sorta ridiculous, but fun to listen to nonetheless.